Very often only selected images on a photographic filmstrip are to be reproduced by a photofinishing laboratory. This generally occurs when photographic prints need to be made over due to under- or overexposure during the printing process or when a customer requests reprints of selected images.
A method to reproduce selected images from the filmstrip generally includes such steps as the photofinishing lab or dealer recording the frame numbers of the images to be reproduced and printing the selected images.
Conventionally, a roll of photographic film is cut into short lengths of filmstrips containing, for example, four frames after the roll of film has been developed and printed. In a wholesale photofinishing laboratory when reprints or make overs are requested, the short lengths of filmstrips would be spliced together to form a reel of various filmstrips having images to be reproduced. The reel of filmstrips is sent to a printer where the frame numbers from the filmstrips can be read and the selected images associated with the recorded frame numbers are reproduced onto photographic paper.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,093,686 issued Mar. 3, 1992 discloses an alternative method for reproducing images recorded on a photographic film which eliminates the need to splice together short lengths of photographic filmstrips during a printing process. The photographic film can be subjected to the printing process with one end fixed to a spool of a film cassette.